She started off wandering through the meadows of the Darling Buds of May and now she is Hollywood’s biggest box office draw for advertisers.
Catherine Zeta Jones was paid £11.2million to promote telecoms giant T-Mobile, topping a list of the highest-earning, product-endorsing celebrities, it has been revealed.
The actress, the only Briton in the list, easily beat Angelina Jolie and Nicole Kidman, who each made £6.7million from advertising deals.
Jolie’s beau Brad Pitt was the only man in the top ten, coming in at eight after making £2.2million promoting Heineken beer.
The campaign featuring Ms Zeta Jones was used only in America – prompting speculation that she is not as popular in Britain.
T-Mobile said the Swansea-born actress’ contract was for the US. Other big earners include Scarlett Johansson and Penelope Cruz, who each made £2.2million from L’Oréal.
The figures show that today’s movie stars could easily give up their day jobs and live off the millions of pounds they get for endorsements.
Dr Peter Webb, a popular culture lecturer at Birmingham University, said more and more stars in America were happy to be seen advertising almost anything – so long as it paid well. However, he warned the public could grow tired of the money-making.
‘There is growing dissatisfaction with Hollywood stars and sports stars. People are getting fed up with the way they behave and go for whatever they can,’ he added.
